How to Fix Unexpected Content in Acrobat Pro DC Print Margins
Question details
The user is experiencing an issue where unexpected extra content prints in the page margins when using Acrobat Pro DC, but not when using Adobe Reader.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Printing a standard PDF document to a physical or virtual printer.
- Observed behavior
- Unexpected content, such as markups or hidden elements, appears in the margins of the printed pages in Acrobat Pro DC, while the exact same file prints cleanly in Adobe Reader.
Before altering your software settings, print a different PDF document to determine if the issue is specific to the current file's embedded markups or a general Acrobat Pro DC configuration.
Adjust Print Settings for Comments and Markups
Configure Acrobat Pro DC to print only the document content, excluding any comments, stamps, or markups that might be bleeding into the margins.
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC has robust features for document review, which includes printing comments and markups. If these settings are enabled, notes and annotations will automatically scale and print in the document margins. Adobe Reader often defaults to printing just the document, which explains the discrepancy between the two applications.
Open your PDF file in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and go to 'File' > 'Print', or press Ctrl + P on your keyboard.
Look at the top right area of the Print dialog box for a section or dropdown menu labeled 'Comments & Forms'.
Click the dropdown menu and change the selection from 'Document and Markups' to 'Document'.
Click the 'Print' button at the bottom of the dialog box to test if the margins are now printing cleanly without unexpected content.
Check Page Scaling Options
Ensure that incorrect page scaling is not pushing elements of the page into the unprintable margin areas.
Repair Acrobat Pro DC Installation
Run a built-in software repair to fix corrupted application files that may be causing irregular printing behaviors.
Print PDFs Flawlessly with WPS Office
If Acrobat Pro DC continues to cause margin issues, you can easily open and print your PDFs exactly as they appear on screen using the built-in PDF reader in WPS Office.
- 1. Open PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office, click on 'Open', and select the problematic PDF document.
- 2. Access Print Settings: Click the 'Menu' button in the top left corner and choose 'Print', or use the Ctrl+P shortcut.
- 3. Print the Document: Ensure your printer is selected, choose 'Fit for printing margins' under Print Handling, and click 'Print'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do comments print on my PDF when I don't want them to?
Acrobat Pro DC has a specific setting in the print dialog under 'Comments & Forms'. If this is set to 'Document and Markups', any notes, stamps, or highlighted text will be scaled and printed in the margins alongside your main text.
Can hidden form fields cause margin printing issues?
Yes. If your print settings are configured to print form fields or markups, invisible text boxes or background artifacts originally used for document formatting might unexpectedly appear in the printed margins.
Does page scaling affect PDF print margins?
Absolutely. Using options like 'Custom Scale' can shift the printable area of the document, sometimes exposing elements that were meant to remain off-page or hidden outside the standard margins.
How do I reset Adobe Acrobat print settings to default?
Adobe Acrobat does not have a single 'reset' button for print preferences. You must manually open the print dialog and change the 'Comments & Forms' dropdown back to 'Document', and set 'Page Sizing' to 'Fit' or 'Actual Size'.
